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Gnomes of Lorald
Gnomes stand 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their skin colour ranges from dark tan to woody brown, their hair is fair, and their eyes can be any shade of blue. Gnome males prefer short, carefully trimmed beards. Gnomes generally wear leather or earth tones, though they decorate their clothes with intricate stitching or fine jewellery. Gnomes reach adulthood at about age 40, and they live about 350 years, though some can live almost 500 years. In Lorald gnomes tend to be quiet thinking types, with a good sense of humour but with a fascination with the minutiae of the workings of the world and not crazy inventors. They are friendly and loving, getting on with most amicable species, but avoiding the savage war like ones. Many gnomes have said they see the world differently from other races, sometimes making it hard for them to fully understand each other, but are opposed to making withdrawal from the rest of the world like the dwarves, they have instead found their place, sharing what they can in a mutual existence to benefit each other. In recent years a new generation of gnomes have arisen with brightly coloured hair and a penchant for less stoic workings and being more outgoing. Interested in music and magic beyond their kin’s illusion fascination, and living more by their whims. This could be the influence of the fey at work after inhabiting their home land, but this could just be the way that generations change over time. There are still many older, more traditional gnomes though, who often find the new "youngsters" brash and showy, but confident that they'll calm down in their older years. Different Types of Gnomes There are several different types of gnomes in Lorald, these are the most commonly known about in Drorn. Rock Gnomes: These are traditional gnomes who settled from the hills to the north a few hundred years ago, as well as the ones who still live there. *''Being closer to their possible dwarves cousins at least in life style, they live underground and gain the darkvision '''and '''stone cunning alternate racial traits with absent minded genius as an option.'' Hill Gnomes: The new generation of gnomes, this term comes from the forest gnomes and has nothing to do with living on a hill, but is a obscure fey term. *They gain all the benefits listed in the Pathfinder Core Rule Book. City Gnomes: These gnomes are ones who have live their whole lives in the city (most often Chorin or Argent) and have less interest in the ouside world or travelling, preferring to lose themselves in a good deep library or obsessive crafting in their workshops and laboratories. *''These gnomes have the academician '''and '''city's magic alternate racial traits'' Forest Gnomes: These gnomes are born and raised in the deep woods of Rasbaer, and are more reclusive and odd than the average gnome. *''They gain bond to the land and nature's magic alternate racial traits.'' Tinker Gnomes: Tinkers are not really a subspecies but more of a throwback, who are nearly always born or sent to the hills of the 'homeland' to live out their days. Manic and often over eager, they are seen as 'special' in all senses of the term. *''They gain the absent minded genius and master tinker alternate racial traits.'' Dread Gnomes: Moodier, less forgiving, and often crueller than other gnomes, dread gnomes trace their heritage to the darker, more bloodthirsty lines of fey. Though not all dread gnomes are evil, they all find humour in watching others suffer, and have little use for the bright colours and joyful pursuits of their more cheerful cousins. These gnomes can be found most often in Caernooth. *''Dread gnomes have the fell magic and knack for poison 'alternate racial traits. '''Traveller Gnomes: These gnomes were born on the move, their families living on a ship or in a caravan wagon. These gnomes can be found all over Drorn and even the rest of Lairia. They can often be part of another gnomish race too (adding on the benefits here after choosing the benefits of that first). *''These gnomes have the magical linguist and either the explorer '''or the '''gift of tongues alternate racial traits.'' New Alternative Racial Traits *'Absent Minded Genius': Gnomes with this are often considered blessed or cursed depending upon their parents' point of view, but it harks back to an older day of their kind when they were more prolific creators. They gain a +2 to Intelligence and a -2 to Wisdom in addition to their usual ability score modifiers. This replaces keen senses. *'Citie’s Magic': Gnomes with Intelligence scores of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—''mage hand, mending, prestidigitation,'' and identify. The caster level for these effects is equal to the gnome's level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the gnome's Intelligence modifier. This racial trait replaces gnome magic. *'Nature's Magic': Gnomes with Wisdom scores of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—''detect poison, know direction, purify food and drink,'' and speak with animals. The caster level for these effects is equal to the gnome's level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the gnome's Wisdom modifier. This racial trait replaces gnome magic. *'Stonecunning': Gnomes with this gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking. This trait replaces keen senses 'History of the Gnomes' The gnomes are reported to have been around for about 8,000 years, when they were merely referred to as "underground spirits" in some legends, but the dwarves record them as being a surface dwelling race around 3,000 years ago, in Drorn. Though some outsiders like to observe the similarities between dwarves and gnomes (short, bearded, fondness for gems), both races deny a connection, the dwarves most fervently so, so see the idea of their small pranksters as a blemish on their proud racial heritage, and although gnomes tell the tale of how Garl Glittergold breathed life into the gems stones of Drorn and then told a joke (thus explaining their jovial nature) as their origin story, there has been no clear grounding in the origins of gnomes. Recent theories uncovered by adventurers lead some to believe there is a fey connection to the gnomes, and while they certainly display certain magical commonalities, and it is a popular theory, this has yet to be fully confirmed. But despite the gnomes having such a curious nature, it isn't something that really bothers them, tending to be more forward thinkers than getting stuck on the past. What can be established is their history in Drorn since the human occupation of Tolish in 255pr, when the settlers upon exploring the deeper lands nearly a century later referred to "a colony of surprisingly talkative and friendly dwarves in the Varsal Hills, who had a keen eye for the workings of things". Many of them in time came to Cordaigen, the founding city of Tolish and were fascinated by humans. When Hilsyren founded itself to the south of Drorn another century later there was little contact, but it was the nation of Driesenstien, that formed after the Reckoning with the allies of giants that had the real impact on the gnomes. Seeing their great eye for craft and invention they tried to enlist the help of these gregarious people only for them to find the gnomes appalled by the power hungry nation’s methods and attitudes. This forced the Nordic settlers to try and enslave the gnomes using their giant minions, a terrible mistake. The gnomes having evolved in a land already populated by the larger kind, were already adapt in avoiding the titan spawn, but this forced them to put all their cunning and ingenuity into sharp focus and thus the gnomish giant slayers were forged, and their reputation to spread throughout the world. Once Driesensien fell during the Dragon Rage Wars, the gnomes maintained the giant slaying skill and tradition, but also understood the route of the problem, mostly all vowing to not to bring their godly skill for invention to the war-like humans, keeping their tinker inclined inventors (those said to be "touched by Remny", a lost god of invention) in isolated communities in the hills. Where gnomes really made their impact on human civilization was Eyshabreen, where after spreading their legends of the Ruby Tree to Prince Orazio before the Dragon Rage Wars, were said to have discovered this tree after the war and helped found the county of Oratum, and were given their place in the multicultural Eyshabreen in the form of Rasbaer, a royal pact made that that land would always be for the gnomes (a similar one they had made with the elves of Shabreena). As Eyshabreen grew in wealth and success, the gnomes felt far more of a part of their development and spread their reputation as wise scholars as well as comical pranksters. What started as a gnomish town that humans visited to marvel at their mixing skills, became a human and gnome city known as Chorin at the heart of Jestiva. In the years since, possibly die to the human influence, possibly due to the increased fey presence in the woodlands, possibly due to the over use of certain mind altering alchemical processes, gnomes have definitely branched out into a newer generation where they are born with brighter stranger coloured hair, are more vibrant and have taken up a passion for music over illusion, but with a race that tries to suppress its inventing instinct, is it any wonder that they seek to reinvent themselves so regularly. Though gnomes have spread all over the world, and sometimes in colonies larger than the ones here, it is here that are the true gnomes of Lorald, unless you ask the gnomes of Kaebria, who insist that all their stories are lies and they come from the Nordic lands. 'Legends of the Gnomes' There are many legends among the gnome people. The Nomishki, ancient fey spirits who wear masks to pretend to be other races, especially dwarves. Language and Culture Use this for the translations: http://www.worldofazolin.com/wiki/index.php?title=Gnomish_Language 'Game Rules for Gnomes' Bonus Class Skill Options: *Appraise, Perception Bonus Feat Options: *Skill Focus (alchemy) or (gem cutting) Advanced Feat Options: *Gnome Trickster (gnome)